Final Round-Up
by Crazy Diamonds
Summary: "How could it have taken me this long to realize I love you?"


***blows dust off of FFN account* Um, pretty major spoilers for Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb. So I'd suggest not reading this until you watch it. **

**I ship Jedediah and Octavius too hard to be healthy. I hope I did okay with characterization; it's been slipping for me.**

_Final Round-Up_

By: Crazy Diamonds

At the most, there were only fifteen minutes until sunrise. Lawrence Daley's footsteps faded as his final goodbyes rang in Octavius' ears. Octavius and Jedediah stood beside each other in silence, taking in their final moments awake. Octavius desperately wished to say something, a meaningful farewell to his best friend of so many years, but no words would come to him. To say goodbye to Jedediah would mean making it real, and although they had all agreed on letting the tablet of Ahkmenrah and the pharaoh himself stay at the British Museum, the fact that this would be the last time Octavius would see Jedediah… it was difficult to come to terms with.

Finally Octavius spoke. "This is almost worse than dying."

He heard a heavy sigh come from Jedediah beside him, but he didn't turn to look at his friend. Octavius knew, without looking, that Jed was shaking his head. "What was that about hand holdin' then?"

Octavius swallowed and tried not to turn red as he recalled earlier in the night at the British Museum. They had almost died thrice, and it was only the last time, when Jed was absolutely sure that there was no way out, no spontaneous escape at the last second, no time left, that he had offered his hand. To be offered to hold his hand again, even in a taunting way such as this, meant that Jedediah _knew_. Jedediah knew and he also realized that this would be their last night awake. Octavius took Jed's hand instantly. The leather of Jed's gloves was cool in his hand, and distantly the Roman general wished that Jed had taken off his damned gloves.

"It was nothing," Octavius murmured, knowing that Jed could sense the lie.

He felt Jed inch closer to him, so close he could feel the other miniature's body heat. Jed leaned forward so that he was in Octavius' line of sight.

"And what was that about Sir Lancelot's 'hypnotic' eyes?" he teased.

"I told you," Octavius said, feeling quite flustered at this point. There was no point hiding his redness now. "They were very blue!"

Jed's eyebrows raised, but he said nothing for a moment. "Octi, you know you're my best pal, don't ya?"

Octavius nodded shortly. He felt a lump forming in his throat and attempted to speak around it. "And you, Jedediah, are my greatest friend."

It happened so quickly that Octavius could barely register it, but suddenly there were soft, chapped lips pressing against his own, and cool leather caressing his cheek. Octavius reacted in the way that anyone whose best friend (that they were in love with) kissed them would: he pulled away violently, face flushed and trembling. He felt like he was going to be sick. What had just happened? And why had he pulled away?

"You're my best pal," Jed said again. "I'd die for you. I almost have died for you. I would, and have, almost died _with _you, several times. Three of them in the past night. So how could it have taken me this long to realize that I love you?"

The Roman general didn't have an answer, so he just shook his head. "And what made you realize this tonight, my friend?"

Jed's crossed his arms. "You never said anythin' 'bout _my _eyes. Ain't they blue?"

Octavius barked out a laugh and reached out to embrace him. "As blue as the western sky, Jedediah."

The cowboy pulled away and grinned at him, then looked up at the skylight, which was showing the milky gray predawn sky, rapidly turning yellow with the morning light. At most, there were five more minutes till sunrise. Octavius could see that time truly was running out for them, and he didn't wish for their first kiss to be their last as well. His hand curled around Jed's neck and pulled him forward so their lips could touch again. This one was slightly aggressive. It had the feeling of desperation, a greeting and a goodbye twisted into one. Octavius' heart felt like it was taking off and sinking into the ground at the same time.

Jed pulled away first, but he took Octavius' right hand in both of his and held it to his chest. "This ain't our final round-up, you hear?"

Octavius swallowed his grief and nodded. "Understood."

With that, they both separated and went to their respective dioramas. Octavius' step was a tad lighter knowing that Jed returned his feelings. Like Jedediah, he refused to believe that this night was truly their last. The magic of Ahkmenrah's tablet had woken the entire population of the museum for so long. They all each had their own personalities. It was impossible to not believe that after all of this time, coming alive each night, that they didn't have souls. They would find a way. This was not their final round-up.

Octavius thought of the kisses they had shared just now. He smiled.

The sun rose.


End file.
